Good morning once again, and
would you join me in your Bibles in the book of Numbers this morning.
The book of Numbers chapter 3. We'd like to look at a few of
the last verses of this chapter, the book of Numbers chapter 3.
And I'm going to attempt to say a few words about something that
I'm learning something about. There's more here than I'll ever
extract in this very subject of the firstborn. I'm amazed
how often that term is used in scripture and what implications
there are as a result of it. So would you join me this morning
in the book of Numbers chapter 3. And I'd like to begin reading
with verse 11 and read through verse 13. And then drop down
to verse 40 and read through verse 41. The subject this morning
is the firstborn. I might preface this just a little
bit. This last week Nancy and I were
required to go to Portland. It's not my favorite thing to
do. And when we were going around the west side of Portland on
405, and we got onto that bridge, the Fremont Bridge, and I saw
a sign that said the Dalles, my heart went, yes. Yes. Now it was just a sign. It's
not the Dalles. It's just a sign. And then when
you get onto I-5 going south, and you get to that sign, and
the exit says the Dalles, my heart went, yes. It's just a
sign though. There's no dowels there. Then
we traveled up 84 and got, here it is, the dowels, the next four
exits. Well, our exit is number one,
number 82. Even that sign does not share
with us the dowels. Now, I had it in my mind where
I'm going and I had it in my mind what I'm looking for, but
it wasn't until I come around that corner and saw the dowels,
and then when we pulled into our yard and got out of our car
at our house. Now I've said that to say this,
throughout the Old Testament, we have a sign all the way that
points to our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now they're just
signs, they're not him. They're just pointers that direct
us to him. As we mentioned the other day,
concerning all of the Old Testament, those Old Testament prophets
were declaring, someone is coming. And this prophet, Moses, was
one of the great writers of the Old Testament that shared us
through the Holy Spirit, shares with us so much in the pictures
and types and shadows of his savior. the Messiah, the Lord
Jesus Christ. So as we look this morning at
this passage of scripture, we're going to see signs pointing us
to the Savior, the Lord Jesus. Now don't settle for the signs
because he's not in the signs. They are pictures of him. He
is in himself. And it is he that saves his people
from their sins, not the signs. All right, join me here. in the
book of Numbers chapter 3, verse 11. Numbers chapter 3 and verse
11, and the scriptures share this, and the Lord spake unto
Moses saying, and I behold, I have taken the Levites from among
the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth
the matrix or the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore,
the Levites shall be mine. Because all the firstborn are
mine. For on the day that I smote all
the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all
the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. Mine shall they
be, I am the Lord. Now let's drop down in our reading
to verse 40 of this chapter. And the Lord said unto Moses,
number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel
from a month old and upward, and take the number of their
names. And thou shalt take the Levites
for me, I am the Lord. instead of all the firstborn
among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites
instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children
of Israel. And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all
the firstborn among the children of Israel. And all the firstborn
males, by the number of names, from a month old and upward,
of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand,
two hundred, and threescore, and thirteen. And the Lord spake
unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn
among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites
instead of their cattle. And the Levites shall be mine,
I am the Lord. Ending several verses here with
that declaration. I am the Lord what he's saying
is as God I can do as I please and it is my command that this
be done according to my word and for those that verse 46 and
those that are to be redeemed of the hundred and three score
and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which
are more than the Levites, thou shalt even take five shekels
apiece by the pole, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt
thou take them, the shekel is twenty geras, and thou shalt
give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed,
unto Aaron and to his sons. And Moses took the redemption
money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed
of the Levites. Of the firstborn of the children
of Israel took he the money, 1,303 score and five shekels
after the shekel of the sanctuary. And Moses gave the money of them
that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons according to
the word of the Lord as the Lord commanded Moses. Now there's
so much more in there than we will ever cover today, but we
would like to say a few words about this wonderful word that
is found here a number of times in our reading, and that is the
word firstborn. The subject of the firstborn,
or the birthright, or the firstling, or the firstfruits is met very
early in scripture. Just after the fall do we find
that this word is used in the scriptures. So I would direct
your attention to Genesis chapter four for a reading this morning
as we look at this subject of the firstborn. Now, in this verse
of scripture, or in this passage of scripture, the word is not
first born, but the word is first slain. Now, if you look this
up, and I appreciate all those people who had great knowledge
and wisdom about the language, and they wrote some books for
us. Strong's Concordance. Thank you, Mr. Strong. Whether
you're a believer or not, God has used you mightily. He gave
us the words so that we could look them up and see what they
meant in their original form. And this word, firstling, comes
to us from the word that we have in a family of words that have
firstborn, firstling, first fruits. That's also a word that's in
this family. And in fact, there was a man's
name in 1 Samuel, and we're not turning over there, 1 Samuel
9, verse one, whose name was Baccharoth, and his name means
the offspring of the firstborn. So there's four words in this
family, and they have great significance in the scriptures. And as we
turn over here to Genesis 4, we find that this significance
is bore out by a brother in Christ by the name of Abel. Now let's
just read here, and Adam knew, Eve, his wife, and she conceived
and bare Cain and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And
she again bare his brother Abel, and Abel was a keeper of the
sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. Now what it's
telling us here is that Abel was a shepherd. Abel kept sheep. Now, Abel, as he brought the
firstling of the flock, it says, in the process of time, it came
to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering
unto the Lord. Verse four, and Abel, he also
brought of the firstlings of his flock, the firstborn of his
flock. and the fat thereof, and the
Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering." Now the word
used in translated firstlings in this verse is a word that
we found over there in the book of Numbers chapter 3, firstborn.
Now I'm just going to have a conversation
with a brother this morning, and this brother's name is Abel. And I'm going to ask him a question
or two, and we're going to just assume the answer that he's going
to give, because the answer that he's going to give from our viewpoint
is the answer that we get from scripture. We would ask Abel,
sir, how did you know the lamb you offered was the firstborn
lamb. Now, he's a shepherd, he keeps
sheep, and I am convinced that his mom and dad shared with him
the truth of the gospel. They also shared the truth of
the gospel with his firstborn brother, Cain. Now when it came time to demonstrate
the effect of that gospel on their heart, we read that Cain
brought the substance of the ground. But we now read that
something had happened to Abel. The Holy Spirit had visited the
word that the parents had shared with him. And that is the only
reason he offered this sacrifice. And that was the firstling of
his flock, the firstborn of his flock. The only reason he did
that, because the Holy Spirit shared with him that this is
a picture of the one who has saved you by his grace. So I
asked the question, how did you know to offer this firstborn? Well, we might hear Abel answer. Well, folks, you know that I
am a shepherd. That's what it tells us in Genesis
chapter four and verse two. I know my sheep and am known of mine. He is a shepherd and he is a
careful shepherd. In fact, he is so careful that
when God required of him to offer a sacrifice, he offered the firstborn
or the firstling of his flock. Now, this is by no mistake. This
is an honor to Almighty God. If we're going to honor him,
we must honor him by what he asked us to do, not by what we
think we should do. Now, we hear that with Cain.
He offered what he thought he should give, but Abel offered
what he knew he should give. He had been instructed by the
Holy Spirit. I know my sheep and they know
me and I was there when this lamb was born. I was there when
its mama was born and in fact I know the daddy of this lamb.
Now that's how intimate this shepherd was with his sheep because
we find him as a type of our savior and the savior says I
know my sheep and they know me. There is such an intimate relationship. I have kept great track of all
my sheep especially the firstborn i know which one now this mama
may have had the second sheep and the third sheep and the fourth
sheep but i know the firstborn sheep This firstborn sheep is
very important. When God requires a sacrifice,
he wants what he requires. And that requirement was, he
offered the first thing of his flock or the firstborn of his
flock. When instructed by the Holy Spirit
to picture my dear Savior in a sacrifice, the Spirit required
the best, the firstborn. Now, did you notice it also tells
us over there, and the fat thereof? when he offered this firstborn
lamb when he offered this firstborn one he is sharing not only is
it the firstborn but it is the best it is the is the healthiest
and it also describes the richness of the salvation that God gives
us when he gives us Christ. He's not a mediocre Savior. He's
not a lean Savior. He's not a Savior that saves
just a little bit of us, but he is a great Savior, demonstrated
that Abel would offer the firstling of the flock and the fat thereof.
He kept back nothing for himself. He offered that which he was
required. more excellent sacrifice now
when we get over to the book of hebrews chapter 11 and there
in verse 4 we find that by faith abel offered a more excellent
sacrifice than his brother well that more excellent is great
it's wonderful in fact it goes on to tell us and by which he
obtained witness that he was just or righteous He offered
a sacrifice to demonstrate something about himself. He offered a sacrifice
to the firstborn to demonstrate that God had worked a work of
grace in him. He's not doing this to get something,
he's doing this to demonstrate that he is just before Almighty
God. The blood of Christ had covered
all his sin. Even though Christ had not come
to the cross, he had promised that this is what he will do.
He's the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Abel
looked through his sacrifice to the sacrifice of Christ. Abel's
sacrifice was a lamb, a type of Christ, the lamb of God, the
firstling, a figure of him was to be the firstborn of every
creature and in fact the firstborn among his brethren. From cover
to cover we're going to run into, read about, and hear the account
of the firstborn and it points ahead to the firstborn of Mary. this firstborn son. As we follow
this out, we find that there must be an accounting given in
the scriptures of the firstborn. The next place that this particular
word is given is found in Genesis Chapter 25. So would you turn
there with me? In Genesis Chapter 25, we run
into someone that is a lot like Cain. His name is Esau. And Esau and
Cain could be friends because they have no regard whatsoever
for the grace of God. Now Esau is the firstborn of
two, of twins. He is the firstborn. He has,
and the firstborn had the honor and authority next to their parents. A double portion in inheritance. The parental blessing, and especially
in this, the promise of the Messiah. An inheritance of the land of
Canaan. So much was given to Esau as
the firstborn son. And yet we already know, in the
background, we have God speaking to his mother and saying, let
me tell you what's going to be. Not going to tell you what's
going to happen, I'm going to tell you what's going to be.
The elder shall serve the younger. I am thankful that God is the
one in charge of the firstborn. The firstborn among many brethren.
And as we heard read this morning, and we'll get there in time,
Lord willing, over there in the book of Hebrews, he says, the
church of the firstborn. which church all believers are,
the church of the firstborn. All right, now notice here in
the book of Genesis chapter 25, Esau was the firstborn, he had
all the honor, he had all the blessings, he had double inheritance,
he had so much going for him, and yet we read here in Genesis
chapter four, beginning with verse 20, let's read here, Genesis
chapter four, beginning with verse 20, the scriptures share
this, and she hasted and imped, Genesis chapter 25, there we
go. Genesis chapter 25 and verse
20 says, and Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah to wife,
the daughter of Methiel, the Syrian of Padamaran, the sister
of Laban the Syrian. And Isaac entreated the Lord
for his wife because she was barren and the Lord was entreated
of him and Rebekah his wife conceived and the children struggled to
gather within her. And she said, if it be so, why
am I thus? And she went to inquire of the
Lord. And the Lord said unto her, two nations are in thy womb. The two manner of peoples shall
be separated from thy bowels. And the one people shall be stronger
than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger.
And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there
were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all
over like a harried garment, And they called his name Esau.
And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold of
Esau's heel, and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was threescore
years old, or 60 years old when she bare them. And the boys grew. And Esau was a cunning hunter,
a man of the field. And Jacob was a plain man dwelling
in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because
he did eat of his venison, but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob
sawed pottage. You know what that means? He
made some lentil soup. And Esau came from the field
and he was faint. Now notice the next verse, verse
30. And Esau said to Jacob, feed me. I pray thee with the same
red pottage, for I faint. Therefore was his name called
Edom. And Jacob said, sell me this
day thy birthright, thy firstbornness. And Esau said, behold, I am at
the point to die. What profit shall this birthright
do to me? Now I wonder how many people
have said, well, I'm smarter than Esau. I would have never
have done that. And yet, we find that we, by
nature, are just like Cain and Esau, would sell ourselves to
religion for a mess of pottage. We would be religious to the
core for just a mess of red soup. Jacob said, swear me this day
and he's swearing to him and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. And Jacob gave the bread and
pottage of lentils, and he did eat, and rose up, and went his
way thus. Now notice this. This is so telling,
the last phrase of that verse of scripture. Esau despised his
birthright. Esau despised his birthright. He despised the position that
he had. He despised his parents. He despised the message of grace. He despised the message of a
Messiah. He despised everything that he
had been given, and he sold it for a mess of pottage. Now we
would say, well he sold it to a brother that's no better than
he is, and you know what? Jacob would tell us today, you
are right. I am no better than he is, except
the grace of God. Now to hear God say from heaven,
Jacob have I loved. No, we'd say, my goodness. I like what an old preacher said
about this whole subject one time. He said, there's no problem
for me to understand a wit about why God would hate Esau. That's understood. But to understand
a little bit that God would ever love Jacob, that's the mystery
of it. Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. That's mentioned
in the scripture twice. And God is declaring unto us
that this man who despised his birthright and had no understanding
about it is just like the rest of us if we don't have grace
revealed unto us, don't have the Holy Spirit come to us and
share with us the message of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Esau despised his birthright. In the book of Hebrews chapter
12 it says Esau who for one morsel sold his birthright for a little
bit of food sold his birthright and then he tells us when his
father is going to give out the blessings and he finds out that
Jacob covered himself with hair, animal hair, and made himself
smell like his brother smelled and came in and took the blessing
Esau comes and he says, oh my, he's not only taken my birthright,
but my blessing. Oh boy, what have I done? He
did exactly what is natural. He sold his birthright and gave
up his blessing. The next example of this very
word in the scripture is found over in the book of Genesis chapter
43. Would you turn there with me? In Genesis chapter 43, now
there's a man that is ruling down in Egypt. He's in charge. Talk about a dry spell. I was so thankful for a little
rain the other day. When I woke up in the middle
of the night and looked at my phone to see the temperature
and saw rain, and then I heard it, I said, thank you, Lord.
This is wonderful. We went from April, or excuse
me, in June, there was a trace, and I don't know how much we
got out of this, but we went that long. Can you imagine seven
years? That's what we're dealing with
down in Egypt, seven years of dry spell, seven years of famine,
and God appointed a man to be there. Now, we know the story.
He's sold down there by his brothers. And as God moves in his mysterious
ways, his purpose to accomplish, all those brothers are present
there. And this man, who they did not know or recognize, who
was in charge of all the food down in Egypt, Joseph, their
brother, does this. In Genesis chapter 43 and verse
33. Genesis chapter 43 and verse
33 and they set before him the firstborn according to the birthright
and the youngest according to his youth. Joseph set up his
brothers in the order that they were born. From Reuben down to the youngest. It says there and they set before
him the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest
according to his youth and the men marveled one at another. They knew something was here. A birthright, the man that has
the birthright, Reuben. Now, sad to say in the book of
First Chronicles, the birthright of Reuben was removed. It tells
us about that because he got involved with his father's handmaid. And so he lost his birthright
and it was given to another. Much is written about God's vengeance
against Egypt in the final statement of his power. There in Egypt,
they had nine plagues placed upon them. And then the 10th
comes along and God takes it out on who? The firstborn. And God has a lot to say about
this. So would you turn with me to
the book of Exodus chapter 11. Exodus chapter 11. As we think
about the firstborn and that God took the Levites instead
of all of Israel. God took the Levites animals
instead of all the animals of Israel. He took them instead
of all the firstborn. And here in the book of Exodus
chapter 11, Exodus chapter 11 and verse 5, turn there with
me if you would. In Exodus chapter 11 and verse
5, we have this recorded. It says, and all the firstborn
in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh
that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the
maid servant that is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of
beasts. Now, that's the declaration of
what's going to happen. Now, God said, Pharaoh, let my
people go. He said that through Moses. He
said that through Aaron, let my people go. Yet, every time
he mentioned that, the scripture share with us that God hardened
Pharaoh's heart. God brought the issue up, God
hardened his heart, and we know the outcome. Exodus Chapter 12
and verse 5, would you turn there with me? Exodus chapter 12 and
verse 5, your lamb shall be without blemish. This is the Passover
lamb, a male of the first year, you shall take it out of the
sheep or out or from the goats. Though I've often wondered why
did God allow one or the other, sheep or goats? And one of the
commentators said that goats smell more when they're being
offered as an offering, which is typical of Christ becoming
sin for us. How odious he was at that moment
when he became sin for his people. Well, we find in verse 12 of
this 12th chapter, it says, and I will pass through the land
of Egypt this night. Now, if you don't have the blood,
on your doorpost, as I've commanded, if you don't have blood inside
the house, as I've commanded, if you don't have a Passover
lamb in your house or among your family, when I pass over the
land tonight, if I don't see the blood, I'm going to take
care of the firstborn. If I see the blood, you are safe. Well, this is what God ordained
and what God commanded and what God did. And he shared there
in verse 12 of this chapter. Exodus chapter 12 and verse 12. It says, I'll pass through the
land of Egypt this night and will smite all the firstborn
in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, against all the gods
of Egypt, and I will execute judgment. I am the Lord. Now,
we do not have any record whatsoever of any of the Israelites having
a problem in their home because there had already been the death
of a firstborn. There'd already been a sacrificial
lamb made. There'd already been blood caught.
There'd already been blood splattered over the doorpost. There'd already
been a sacrifice there. There had been death in every
household in Egypt. Firstborn among the Egyptians.
Firstborn lamb among the Israelites. But there was a death in every
household. And when God came to the land,
he said, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. Well, this
is brought out a number of times there in the book of Genesis,
I mean Exodus and in the Psalms. One more passage here in the
book of Exodus chapter 12 and verse 29. Exodus chapter 12 and
verse 29 and it came to pass that at midnight the Lord smote
all the firstborn of the land of Egypt from the firstborn of
Pharaoh that sat on his throne and to the firstborn of the captive
that was in the dungeon and all the firstborn of the cattle without
exception among those who did not have the blood there was
going to be death of every kind in every household the death
of the firstborn no deaths among humans among
Israel. And it was that night that they
are set free from the being slaves down in Egypt. It
is that night that they are set free. In the book of the Psalms,
four times it mentions about God saying the death of the firstborn
down in Egypt. There was a judgment there. God
brought judgment upon that place. And then we find in Exodus 13, would you turn there
with me? Exodus chapter 13 and verse 2,
it says, Moses said unto the people, remember this day in
which ye came out from Egypt out of the house of bondage,
for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place.
There shall be no leavened bread, This is the day and they come
out free. Then in that same chapter, verse
13, it says, ''And every firstling of an ass shall thou redeem with
a lamb, and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break
his neck, and all the firstborn of men shall thy children shalt
thou redeem.'' Now, when I read this, I said, ''We've just got
through with the Passover, We've just got through with the death
of the firstborn in Egypt. We've just got through the death
of a innocent one in every household in Egypt among the Israelites. We've got the death warrant out
there on the lintels. We got the blood out there so
that when God moves through the land, he'll see the blood and
not pass over them. And he comes up and he says, now, if you have
a donkey, verse 13, If you have a donkey, and it's
the firstborn donkey, and you don't redeem it, you break its
neck. What does that have to do with
the price of tea? How does that fit in this place?
Well, God foreseeing long in advance all the rest of his word,
he shares with us a verse over in the book of Job chapter 11
and verse 12. Job chapter 11 and verse 12. In Job chapter 11 and verse 12,
we have a statement about man. Job chapter 11 and verse 12. Now, if you have a donkey and
you don't redeem it with a lamb, break its neck. Now, I wonder,
When they came in and checked, the doctors checked all of those
first born that was slain in Egypt, I wonder what they said
with regard to how was the death. For a long time, I thought, well,
they probably were smothered. They just died of natural causes.
We could come up with all kinds of ideas of how those people
died. I'm almost convinced their necks were broken. because it tells us here in the
book of Job chapter 11 and verse 12. Job chapter 11 and verse
12. It says, for vain man would be
wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt. Now what's that say about man? If you've ever been around a
wild horse or a wild donkey, they are so strong, self-willed,
going to do their own thing, don't want anybody putting a
saddle on them, and on and on it goes. We cannot describe enough
about what a wild donkey's cult is like. They are uncontrollable. until the Lord comes along and
tells his disciples, go get that colt over there that's never
been ridden, and I'm gonna ride it into town. And it didn't buck
at all. So we read over here in the book
of Exodus chapter 12, that if you have a donkey, and it's the
firstborn donkey, and you don't redeem it with a sheep, what
are you to do with it? Well, I'm so thankful that in
God's good providence, before the foundation of the world,
He took a whole bunch of wild donkey's colts and promised to
redeem them with his firstborn son. Our redemption is dependent
upon this one who had the right to break our neck, if you please,
but chose to in the Council of Eternity to lay down his life
a ransom for them, to pay the price of them, to give his life
in payment for them. Just as we read over here, the
redemptive price of a donkey's coat is a lamb. Is that a fair trade? Is it a fair trade to have God's
son pay the ransom price for a bunch of wild asses colts? No, but those colts are thankful. We are thankful for the redemptive
price. Now, just a couple of more verses
before we close. Turn with me over to the book
of Matthew chapter one, if you would. Matthew chapter one. The New Testament brings up this
subject of firstborn. Matthew chapter 1 and verse 25,
we have this wonderful statement made. God wants us to know of
a surety that this birth that Mary gave was her firstborn. I read the process of redemption. As we read over there, shackles
are used, and a rabbi was writing about a mother and a dad bringing
their firstborn son before the rabbi, and he asked all sorts
of questions of the mother. Have you ever had a miscarriage? Have you ever had this? Have
you ever had that? No, no, no. This is your firstborn son. Yes,
it is. All right. You owe me the shackles.
It was clear statement. Well, God gives us a clear statement
here in Matthew chapter 1 and verse 25, and knew her not. Joseph knew her not till she
had brought forth her firstborn son and he called his name Jesus. Turn with me to the Book of Romans
chapter 8 if you would. Romans chapter 8 and verse 29.
As we find in this passage of scripture, again, about the firstborn. Romans chapter eight and verse
29, the scriptures share this wonderful passage of scripture.
Romans chapter eight and verse 29, it says here, for whom he
did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. This one is the firstborn. He
is the one that causes everyone else to be firstborn. He's the
one that represents all the firstborn ones. And finally, if you look
at that verse over there in the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter,
12 and verse 23, Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 23, it says, not,
you didn't come to Mount Zion, that's the law, that's legalism,
that's where the world is, that's where religion is. He said, I
didn't take you over there, oh it's a terrible place, it's a
fearful place, but you have come to Mount Zion. And notice here
in verse 23 of this wonderful verse, it says, to the general
assembly. You have come, verse 22, but
you have come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
to the general assembly and church of the firstborn. Now, I'm not
the firstborn in my family, But I'm the firstborn of many
brethren. I've been given that privilege.
It was taken away from one and given to me. It was taken away. Jesus Christ being the firstborn
son of Mary, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the
world, the Lamb prepared from before the foundation of the
world to deal with the sin issue. This one, this firstborn one
has taken care of a wild ass's coat. His neck was broken and
not mine. He paid the price and not me. How glorious is his great salvation. And that is what Abel was celebrating
when he put the fire to that sacrifice. I bring the firstborn
lamb to picture the great firstborn lamb. The lamb of God who would
take away the sin of his people. The church of the firstborn,
those who have been given the firstborn rights As firstborn,
I'm an inheritor. I get double portion. I get to
love my father. I get to love my brother. I get
to love God's people. I have that right. I have that
privilege extended to me. I get to inherit heaven. Not just a piece of property
over in Canaan, but I inherit heaven. And God, Christ, is my
exceeding great reward. So, Israel, I'm setting you aside,
and I'm taking the Levites, king priests, to be mine. Nathan, if you'll come.